Violin



,Sept. 30, 1930. BRANN 1,777,070

VIOLIN Filed April 16. '1929 1 'IA "IIIA fil /ml 5m 1m Patented Sept. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES ALIBEDBRANN, or snarzrnn, wa st ne/ ron vIoLrir Application filed April 16, 1928. Serial). 855,5,

This invention relates to violins and similar instruments and more particularl to a means for controlling the volume an resonance of such instruments.

An important object of the invention is to provide a means for varying the volumetric capacity of the body or box of the instrument and for modifying vibrations of the contained body, of air, in a mannerpermitting variation of such modificationso that a desired tonic effect is produced.

A further and more specific object of the invention is the provision of resonant controls which may be manipulated from the exterior of the body of the instrument to vary the tonic effect of the instrument.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the installation of such means- Without in any manner altering the present construction of the violin.

These and other objects I attain bythe construction shown in the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through the body of a violin having volume control constructed in accordance with myv invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view through the volume control of Figure 1 Figures 3, 4 and 5 are side elevations of a modified valve peg for use in the volume control;

Figure 6 is a sectional view through a further modified valve peg for use in a volume control.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the body of a violin and more particularly the end of the side wall thereof. As in the usual construetion, the end of this side wall is interiorlv re inforced by a tail pin block 12 arrange in: teriorly of the instrument and serving merely to thicken the wall of the instrument at one point to enable convenient formation therein of an opening 13, for the passage of a tail pin 14. i

In accordance with my invention, the tail pin 14 is made hollow, having a bore 15 formed with conical enlargements 16 at its opposite ends. 'Ihe inner end of the tailpin is preferably slantingly cut, as indicated at 17, for a ur-pose hereinafter to appear.

The tai pin is made of such length that it projects beyond the inner face of block 12 and' in this projecting portion an opening 18 is preferably formed through the side wall thereof. A pin of this character will; of itself serve to change. the resonant qualities of the instrument, since if the'opening 15 is left unobstructed a reduction of volume will b teieed- With a tail pin of this character I employ one of s v r l yp of a e P g s r te in Figures to 6 of the drawings. In Figures 1 and 2 the, valve peg is in the form of a hollow tube 19, the walls of \vhich'are trans versely perforated, as at 20, with a series of penings hi h r di fer y Sp n scattered along the length of the tube and b u th si e ee erence the o h c send of the this tube isformed with a head 2 her hyi may be ma ipu at a d s pp d t a remo ab Pl s 2- A Pee valve of; this character serves to. vary the resonance of the instrument by longitudinal shifting which will, of course, vary the volumetric capacity, byrotation which will plac a difi ren s ie o sp ings 20 in a gi n plane and thu in er wit i ra en or y removal of its plug 22 hi h i l, of course, p o d e itand t de the volume Either the first or last nient m d olume ri co tr me h ds m b combined with the vibration control adjustment to obtain a desired tonic effect. In Fig.

7 3 a construction similar tethatof Figures 1 tion control as by splitting the pin at 24 in Figure 4, or by longitudinally grooving the same as at 25 in Figure 5.

The pin of Figure 6 is shown as having an axial opening 26 through its inner end which communicates With a groove 2? formed in the side wall thereof, and the depth of which decreases toward the outer or head end of the valve peg. A peg of this charac-V ter serves only as a volumetric control and a change in. volume may be obtained elther by rotating the peg so as to bring the groove 27 in alignment with the opening 18 of the" tail pin or by withdrawing the peg to a desired distance and thus controlling the vent opening afforded thereby. Since the construction herein illustrate'd is capable of a wide range of modification I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In combination with the 'body& of a stringed musical instrument having an opening formed through the wall thereof, a mem- 1 ber mounted in said opening and pro1ect1ng.

into the bodyof the instrument, said member being longitudinally shiftable to vary the extent of its projection into the instrument and thereby provide a volumetric control therefor, said member having openings formed therethrough spaced longitudinally and circumferentially thereof, the member being rotatable in the opening.

2. In combination with the body of a stringed musical instrument having an opening formed through the wall thereof, a member mounted in said opening and projecting into the body of the instrument, said member being longitudinally .shiftable to vary the extent of its projectioninto the instrument and thereby provide a volumetric control therefor, said member having openings formed therethrough spaced longitudinally and circumferentially thereof, the memher being rotatable in the opening, said memher being hollow, and a removable plug for the outer end of the member. i

3. The combination with a stringed musical instrument of a hollow tail pin mounted in and extending through the wall thereof, and a removable valve peg mounted in the bore of the tail pin, said valve peg being longitudinally shiftable in the bore to limit 7 the extent of its projection into the body of the instrument, the inner end of said valve peg having a series of openings formed therein, said openings being longitudinally and circumferentially spaced upon said inner end, the valve peg being rotatable in the bore of the tail pin. f

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ALFRED BRANN. 

